Global Affairs Canada, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa (followed by a walk to the French embassy

Please wear red, and bring flowers and Valentines!

In November, 2014, Dr. Hassan Diab was forcibly removed from Canada and imprisoned in France. Hassan is fighting false allegations leveled against him even though his physical description, his palm and hand prints, and his handwriting do not match those of the suspect in a 1980 crime that Dr. Diab has repeatedly denied involvement in, and condemned.

In other words, the French government is holding an innocent man. Thanks to an extradition law that fails to protect Canadians’ rights, Hassan faces the possibility of wrongful conviction and life in prison based on secret intelligence and discredited handwriting analysis. This nightmare is shared by Hassan’s family in Ottawa.

We are calling on Canada’s new Liberal government to reconsider Hassan’s extradition, declare it has had a change of heart, admit that the decision to extradite Hassan was unjust, and work for the return of Hassan to his home, family, and community in Ottawa.

Please join us as we present Valentines to Global Affairs Canada, asking them to have a change of heart, and then walk a short distance to the French embassy, urging them to also have a change of heart, recognize they have the wrong man in custody, and send Hassan back home.

If you cannot make it, please send a brief note to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Stéphane Dion, urging him to speak with his French counterparts about bringing Hassan home. Mr. Dion can be reached at: stephane.dion@parl.gc.ca

Please share this announcement widely!

2. Hassan Diab Prison Diary

Hassan Diab remains incarcerated in a prison near Paris since he was extradited from Canada on November 14, 2014. He has been in prison for 450 days by now. He is expected to remain in prison for two or more years while an investigating magistrate decides whether to bring him to trial.

To give you a window into Hassan’s life, we have started a new blog featuring excerpts from Hassan’s letters from prison to his family in Canada. To read the blog, please visit

Hassan’s requests for bail have been denied repeatedly, despite agreeing to very strict bail conditions, including house arrest and electronic monitoring. In refusing bail, the court relied on the unsourced intelligence and discredited handwriting analysis that were withdrawn from the extradition proceedings in Canada.

In prison, Hassan is placed in a special unit which holds 4 to 8 inmates. He is confined to his cell for 20 hours a day. In the four hours a day when he is allowed to leave his cell, he can access a small exercise room, a small collection of books, and can interact with the other inmates in his unit. He is denied access to the general prison services, including the main library and sports field.

The hardest part for Hassan is being separated from his family in Canada – his wife, his toddler daughter, and his infant son who was born after he was extradited. He communicates with his family mostly through letters. He is not allowed to receive phone calls. He must initiate calls to the outside world himself, and only to approved phone numbers.

Hassan is grateful for your continued support. Despite the hardship, he remains hopeful that he will be exonerated and will return to his home in Canada. Your support gives Hassan a real chance for justice and hope to return home!

3. Update on the Hassan Diab Documentary Project

Many thanks to our supporters for the successful crowdfunding campaign to fund the Hassan Diab Documentary Project.

Award-winning filmmaker Amara Wala recently completed a first cut of the documentary. Stay tuned for further updates!

Those of you who requested a copy of the documentary will receive it once it is completed. Please contact us at diabsupport@gmail.com if you would be interested in arranging a public screening to educate your community about Hassan’s case.